


Fatherly Advice

by IJM



Category: General Hospital
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-07-11 06:56:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15967052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IJM/pseuds/IJM
Summary: Oddly enough, I wrote this a few days ago from an idea I had floating around for a few weeks. It's timely for the co-parenting discussion Franco and Elizabeth had on today's episode.





	Fatherly Advice

**Author's Note:**

> Not for profit. No claim of ownership of characters.

Franco opened the door to the art therapy room and saw that Cameron was standing there waiting for him. "Oh, hey," he said, surprised. "I'll be right back. I need to take her back to her room. You can go on inside."

"Cool," Cam answered. He went inside to wait and saw that the girl had used crayons to draw a self portrait where she was crying. He wondered why she was sad. He hadn't given a lot of thought to Franco's job, even when he was helping Jake, but it occurred to him that Franco might help a lot of people express their feelings. He hope he could just talk to his step-father because he definitely didn't want to draw his questions.

Franco came back. "Door opened or closed?"

"Closed," Cam answered. He wanted privacy, especially from his mother.

Franco sat next to him and not so subtly turned over the little girl's drawing and moved it to a far corner of the table. "What's up?"

Cam was a little bit desperate and a whole lot nervous. "I need advice. Like Dad advice, and you're the only Dad I have, even if I'm not really your kid. I mean, I know you'll help me."

"I will if I can," Franco responded, unsure if he was Cam's real choice or just convenient. "I'll always help you any way I can."

"First of all, you can't tell Mom."

"You know I won't agree to that until I know what it is. If someone has hurt you or if you're in serious trouble about something, I have to be honest with your mother."

"It's nothing like that," Cam assured him. "Nothing she needs to know." He fidgeted with some of the supplies on the desk.

"You seem nervous."

"I am, I guess," Cam admitted.

"Why?"

"I have some questions and they're kind of embarrassing."

"Safe space," Franco told him. "Everyone gets embarrassed sometimes." He was glad that Cameron had come to him. It wasn't something he expected at this point.

"Okay, so here's the thing. Since Joss and Oscar broke up, we've been hanging out a lot. I want to something special for her, but I'm not sure what to do."

"Like send her flowers or by her a bracelet?" He imagined Cam and Joss starting to feel those initial pangs of puppy love.

"Not exactly," Cam looked down.

"Then what?"

"Joss wants to play her V card. Everyone is doing it."

Franco nodded, keeping his expression neutral. "Or everyone else is lying because they want to be cool or whatever the term is these days."

Cam looked frustrated. "Guys talk about doing it all the time. Joss says the girls do too. They even have parties and that's the only reason to go to the party. She's tired of being left out."

"Do you love her?"

"I don't know. It's just sex."

"Is participating in a conversation with people who are probably lying right to your face worth making a life-altering decision that you can't take back?"

"It's not that big of a deal... is it?" He seemed unsure now.

"It really is," Franco answered. "You have to think about pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and the emotional consequences."

"I thought it was about having fun. That's what the guys say. It's all just for fun"

"They're idiots. Sex is personal, intimate, and intense. It bonds you to a person. And, yes, it's fun with the right person at the right time of your life."

"When is that?"

"You'll know when it's the right time."

"But I get teased for being a virgin too. It's not just the girls going after Joss and calling her a prude."

"Peer pressure sucks, doesn't it?" Franco lamented. 

"Maybe we should just do it and get it over with..." Cam pondered. He was tired of being teased. 

"Cam, you're only 15 years old. That's very young to start experimenting just for the sake of experimenting. Society might change, but human anatomy doesn't. At your age, what you expect and what you would actually experience is not going to match."

"What do you mean?"

"If I can be blunt?"

Cam nodded.

"It'll be over in about three minutes."

"How old were you?"

Franco shook his head, "I don't remember."

"You're talking about how important it is and everything, so how do you forget it?" Cam clearly didn't believe him. He sounded a little bit angry, even. 

"I have some problems with my memory, like periods of time I don't remember at all."

"Why?" Cam still seemed skeptical.

"I had a brain tumor. It was a slow growing mass that was there a long time. It affected a lot of things, including my memories. And then when a doctor goes in and takes out part of your brain, even if it's a parasitic part of your brain, it affects different things, like memory."

"Then how can you be sure it won't be great."

"I talk to a lot of people who have a lot of problems and regrets. You would be astounded by how many of those problems and regrets stem from sexual experiences. Sex can be wonderful, but a sexual act can also be the worst thing a person ever experiences."

"It's not like I'd make her. It's her idea, remember?"

"I know you wouldn't make her. But I have to wonder, do you even want to have sex at this point in your life? Not for Joss, but for yourself."

Cam shrugged. "I don't know. I'm supposed to, aren't I? Isn't it normal?"

"Curiosity is normal. I don't think having casual sex just to say you have is a good decision."

"What if Joss dumps me?"

"Then you have to ask if you want to be with someone who would dump you for treating her with respect, keeping private things private, keeping her from being called a slut, and making sure there's no chance of pregnancy."

"I haven't thought about that. I just want to make her happy."

"I think you can find a way to do that aand still protect your physical and mental health and your reputations."

"I think I expected a different answer," Cam admitted.

"What did you expect?" Franco asked, genuinely wondering what Cam had been looking for.

"I thought you would tell me what flowers to get and where we could go for privacy and stuff like that."

"Cameron, don't rush growing up. Don't make decisions based on what other kids say they do. Do what's right for you and whatever girl you happen to be with when the time is right for both of you."

"That makes sense, actually," Cam admitted. He almost looked relieved. 

"I have one more question for you," Franco said.

Cam looked at him, waiting for the question.

"How would you feel about walking into a pharmacy and buying condoms?"

Cam looked horrified. "I can't do that!" he exclaimed. What if someone saw him?

"You're not ready for sex," Franco told him. "It comes with personal responsibility and that look says you're not ready for that part of it."

"I think you're right," Cam agreed, still horrified by the idea of purchasing condoms.

"I hope our conversation helped you."

"It did. I think you kept me from making a mistake."

"Thanks for coming to me and trusting me," Franco told him.

Cam got up to leave, but turned around before he opened the door. "You know, for someone who hasn't had a lot of practice, you're a pretty good dad." He opened the door and left.

Franco smiled as Cam's compliment warmed his heart. He loved those kids and his wife. Now he had to find the best way to tell Elizabeth that her baby was thinking about sex without breaking Cameron's confidence. He was learning being a family was a balancing act. But he loved every minute of it. 


End file.
